9 pages., ISSN 2415-2838, via online journal., Uganda’s public agricultural extension system has experienced several reforms since colonial times. However, available literature indicates that a large number of smallholder farmers remain unreached by the extension systems. To address the above problem, there has been a call to unearth the role of participatory and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)-led extension and learning approaches for agricultural and environmental education, and development in the country. As such, a review study was conducted on the context and the potential of participatory, and ICT-led extension and learning approaches to agricultural and environmental education. The reviews involved thematic and content analysis of variables of interest. The review findings presented a critical review of the historical and current state of agricultural extension reforms in Uganda. It also highlighted the challenges and lessons on the status, context, and potential of participatory, and ICT-led extension and learning in agricultural and environmental education in Uganda. It elaborated on recurring extension issues and described the experiences on the role of ICTs to extension and emerging practices that are enhancing the delivery of timely information that suits the needs of farmers. Policy recommendations were henceforth made to tap the potential of participatory, and ICT-led extension and learning approaches in order to enhance the performance of agricultural extension systems in Uganda.
13 pages, via online journal, Purpose: This study examined knowledge sharing mechanisms in coffee IPs and their effect on actor linkages in four districts of Uganda.
Design/methodology/approach: Thirty one respondents from the public and private sector were interviewed using a qualitative approach. Data were analyzed using the Atlas ti qualitative software version 7.5.18 to generate themes for information sources, types and channels. Social network analysis was used to measure the actor centrality positions and influence in the IP network.
Findings: Results revealed seven main categories of actors in the Coffee IPs who shared information on coffee inputs, agronomic practices, processing and markets through three main channels. Level of cohesion was less than 10% which had negative implications on the knowledge flow, trust and collaboration among the actors. Influential positions were occupied by the processors and farmer leaders in IPs in the southern districts of Luwero and Rakai, while nursery operators were most influential in IPs of the western districts of Ntungamo and Bushenyi. Weak linkages within the social networks indicated that initiatives of the actors were fragmented, as each actor acted as an individual detached from the platform activities limiting inter-actor knowledge sharing.
Practical implications: Innovation intermediaries should focus on integrated systemic and innovative approaches to strengthen actor social linkages for knowledge sharing and better platform performance.
Theoretical implications: Actor positions and relationships in innovation networks are critical tenets for fostering knowledge exchange and performance. In an innovation platform, diverse actors are multiple sources for accessing information within a given social and institutional context.
Originality/value: The study contributes to existing debate and knowledge on institutional change in agricultural innovation systems.
16 pages, via online journal, Purpose: This study elucidates on how faculty supervision support to students during farm placements and other facilitating conditions influence farmer learning in the student-centred university outreach.
Methodology/Design/Approach: Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 283 farmers who had previously hosted students of Gulu University in the student-to-farmer university outreach. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse how faculty supervision support to students in combination with other facilitating conditions affect the formation of intentions for learning and actual farmer learning behaviour.
Findings: Faculty supervision support in the student-to-farmer outreach was found to significantly influence formation of intentions for learning (β = 0.380; t = 5.263; P < .01) and actual farmer learning behaviour (β = 0.182; t = 2.081; P < .05).
Practical implications: Faculty supervision support to students is critical to fostering lasting learning relationships in university outreach. Thus, it needs to be a part of the transformation agenda of the higher education sector for improved community linkages and innovation.
Theoretical implications: Empirical data obtained from the context of student-centred university outreach is used to extend the model of facilitating conditions.
Originality/Value: The study addresses how faculty supervision support together with farmers’ perception of student attitudes and the value of the learning content influence farmers’ learning behaviour during university outreach.
23 pages., Authors used a baseline survey, an intervention, and an end line survey to assess farmers' knowledge of farming practices, knowledge level, and relationship between information source and knowledge gain. Interventions were provided by radio broadcasts and audio CDs. Findings suggested that '...audio media remains a vital source of information for resource-poor farmers and can greatly enhance their agricultural knowledge when audio media is used as an intervention."
21 pages, We evaluate causal impacts of a large-scale agricultural extension program for smallholder women farmers on technology adoption and food security in Uganda through a regression discontinuity design that exploits an arbitrary distance-to-branch threshold for village program eligibility. We find eligible farmers used better basic cultivation methods, achieved improved food security. Given minimal changes in adoption of relatively expensive inputs, we attribute these gains to improved cultivation methods that require low upfront monetary investment. Farmers also modified their shock-coping methods. These results highlight the role of information and training in boosting agricultural productivity among poor farmers and, indirectly, improving food security.
Shikuku, Kelvin M. (author), Winowiecki, Leigh (author), Twyman, Jennifer (author), Eitzinger, Anton (author), Perez, Juan G. (author), Mwongera, Caroline (author), and Läderach, Peter (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2017-03-08
Published:
Africa
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 169 Document Number: D08757
14 pages., via online journal, The study evaluated the potential of 19 radio stations to promote new or improved agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural extension services. Key informant interviews were conducted with the station and/or program managers of the selected radio stations. Two female respondents i.e. from UBC Radio, and Impact FM and 17 male respondents from the remaining radio stations were interviewed. The survey used semi structured questionnaire to determine broadcasting languages, radio transmitter capacity, geographical coverage and audience, major programs and scheduling, use of modern ICT, staff capacity and feedback mechanism from the audience as well as experience in agricultural programming using participatory radio campaign. The collected data was analyzed using content analysis. 16 of the radio stations are commercial while the remaining three belong to public, community and religious radio stations. The potential audience of the surveyed radio stations varied from one to ten million. Seven broadcasting languages (English, Luganda, Lugisu, Lusoga, Japadhola, Ateso and Samia) were predominant, while English and Luganda cut across all communities. The estimated number of audience for each radio station varies from one to ten million listeners. The results also indicate that agricultural programs are not a major component of radio program with time allocation for agrictural programs comprising only 15 percent of total time allocation. However, ten radio stations had previous collaboration with international, regional or national NGOs to promote specific agricultural technology. Radio broadcasters of these radio stations had some form of agricultural programming including participatory radio campaign. Building on this experience, it is possible to reach more farmers through radio to strengthen adoption of recommended agricultural technologies.
10 pages., via online journal., A baseline survey of ownership or access to radio and mobile phone was conducted in seven districts of eastern Uganda in 2015. The purpose of this survey was to assess the role of radio and modern communication technologies to promote push-pull technology as an integrated management approach to control striga and stemborer and improve soil fertility. The selected districts are where icipe is currently disseminating the technology. The survey was conducted from seven districts where 30 respondents from each were identified for the study. Semi structured questionnaires were administered where data including household demography, ownership and or access to radio and mobile phone was collected. The data were analyzed using STATA (version 13). The findings show that there are over eight (Ateso, Luganda, Samia, Japadhola, Lugisu, Lusoga, Kiswahili, and English) languages spoken in the surveyed districts. Most of the respondents speak more than one language. Overall, ownership of radio and mobile phone was at 82% and 87% respectively with slight differences between men and women. Moreover, those who do not own radio and mobile phones also stated that they have access to one. On average, 83% of the respondents (174 out of 210) said that they do receive text messages, whereas, only 53% of the respondents indicated that they also send text messages. A great proportion of the respondents (91%, 80%, and 77%) received agricultural, weather and market information through the radio. Over 65% of the respondents reported benefiting from the agricultural programs broadcasted via radio. 45 and 50% stated that they benefitted from market and weather information. However, the level of benefit rendered from mobile phones with regard to agricultural, market and weather information was negligible. The study showed that radio and mobile phones are best suited mass communication media to transfer technologies such as push-pull to address cross-cutting problems such as striga, cereal stem borer and low soil fertility. It will strengthen the agricultural extension service delivery at large.
